Crypto News
Vitalik Buterin Reflects on Evolution of Crypto and His Changing Role
In a recent blog post on his 30th birthday, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin highlighted some of the major shifts he has witnessed in the cryptocurrency community since first becoming involved over a decade ago. As one of the most prominent figures in the crypto industry, Buterin’s reflections offer valuable insights into how the industry and......
Terraform Labs Sees Bankruptcy as Key to Contest SEC’s Lawsuit
Collapsed stablecoin developer Terraform Labs filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 21st. The move was partly to boost prospects of appealing its ongoing fraud lawsuit from the SEC. In a filing Tuesday, CEO Chris Amani said bankruptcy shelters could enable challenging the case without needing to post bonded assets. Key Reasons: Allow an......
Ethereum Dencun Upgrade Goes Live on Sepolia Testnet
The Ethereum network’s hotly anticipated Dencun upgrade was successfully deployed on the Sepolia test blockchain on Tuesday. Dencun represents Ethereum’s biggest functional upgrade since Merge. The code changes introduce two key features: Proto-danksharding Cheaper data blobs Together, these technical improvements aim to bolster network capacity and reduce transaction costs as usage grows. https://twitter.com/parithosh_j/status/1752468658868126030 The test......
Germany Seizes Over 50,000 Bitcoin (BTC) in Copyright Case
German authorities recently seized over 50,000 Bitcoin worth approximately $2.16 billion that were allegedly purchased with the proceeds of an illegal copyright infringement operation dating back a decade. Law enforcement is touting the confiscation as both the largest cryptocurrency seizure in the country's history and one of the biggest globally. Key Details: 50,000+ BTC seized......
Vitalik Buterin Outlines Potential Crypto + AI Use Cases and Risks
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently explored emerging intersections between crypto and artificial intelligence in an extensive blog post. He argued that certain applications appear to be far more robust than others currently. Buterin categorized crypto + AI opportunities into four types, ordered by viability: Most Viable AI participates trustlessly in blockchain mechanisms as players. Rewarded......
Floki Team Pushes Back on Hong Kong Regulator Warning
The developers behind meme-inspired cryptocurrency Floki Inu responded to Hong Kong regulators listing its staking program as a “suspicious” investment product, predominantly over advertised yield levels. In a Medium post, the team highlighted steps taken while disagreeing with the “extreme measure” by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). Actions taken so far include: Blocking Hong......
DeFi Protocol Abracadabra Finance Suffers $6.4 Million Hack
DeFi lending protocol Abracadabra Finance appears to have suffered a security breach, leading to over $6.4 million drained from its smart contracts. Security researchers, including PeckShield, estimate total losses may still increase, with nearly $29 million in digital assets remaining at risk across its platform. https://twitter.com/peckshield/status/1752279373779194011 Key Details: The attack targeted and exploited the Abracadabra......
HyperFund Founders Charged with $1.89B Crypto Scam and Ponzi Scheme
The Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against two founders of the HyperFund crypto investment scheme, alleging the massive operation defrauded investors out of $1.89 billion. In parallel civil charges, the SEC accused HyperFund leaders of running an illegal pyramid scheme and falsely promising high yields from crypto mining revenues that didn't exist. Key......
Crypto Funds Record $500 Million in Net Outflows Last Week
Crypto funds recorded net outflows globally last week totaling $500 million, according to the latest analysis from CoinShares. Outflows are centered on the U.S., Switzerland, and Germany. Key Takeaways: $500 million in total net outflows last week. Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) saw $2.2 billion exits. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs added $1.8 billion. GBTC outflows are......
Amazon Developing A Film Based on $3B Bitfinex Bitcoin Heist
Amazon's MGM Studios is reportedly in early development on a feature film dramatizing the story of Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan's role in laundering billions worth of Bitcoin stolen in the 2016 Bitfinex exchange hack. According to a report by Deadline, the movie titled "Razzlekhan" will adapt a 2022 New York Times article dubbing the......
SEC Unlikely To Greenlight Ethereum ETF Until Late 2025: TD Cowen
Investment bank TD Cowen has pushed back its predicted timeline for U.S. approval of a spot Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) until late 2025 at the earliest. Key Predictions: Spot Ether ETF decision not expected before late 2025. SEC Chair Gensler has no political incentive to accelerate. Seeks to avoid fighting with progressives critical of crypto......
73% of Europeans Optimistic About Crypto: Binance
A recent survey by crypto exchange Binance reveals the widening integration of cryptocurrencies into European finance and society. The report shows that over half of respondents utilize them for routine purchases. Key Findings: 73% are optimistic about crypto's future prospects in Europe. 55% use cryptos for regular daily transactions. 10% make weekly crypto payments. While......
$2.61 Billion Lost in Crypto Hacks and Scams In 2023: PeckShield
Blockchain security firm PeckShield has released its 2023 analysis of major crypto hacks, scams, and stolen funds flowing from criminal exploits. https://twitter.com/PeckShieldAlert/status/1751788344281886726 Per the report's findings: Over $2.61 billion was lost from 600+ incidents. A decrease of 28% versus 2022 thefts However, DeFi protocols remained disproportionate targets. 67% of stolen value is sourced from DeFi......
UK Dark Web Dealer Surrenders $340 Million in Bitcoin Under Plea Deal
A British resident has agreed to forfeit over $340 million worth of Bitcoin (8,100+ BTC) as part of a plea agreement related to selling illegal drugs via dark web marketplaces. U.S. authorities stated the voluntary surrender likely comprises the Drug Enforcement Agency's biggest ever cryptocurrency seizure, according to a recent report by The Washington Post.......
Cristiano Ronaldo Hosts NFT Holders for Friendly Match Amid Binance Lawsuit
Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo recently hosted several NFT holders for a friendly match. Through his collaboration with cryptocurrency exchange Binance to offer exclusive access, the most recent video from Binance delivers on its promises. This latest video comes at a time when he is facing an ongoing lawsuit in Florida alleging illegal promotion of securities.......
Worldcoin to Launch Sleeker ‘Apple-Like’ Orb Device This Year
Worldcoin, the crypto startup aiming to give every human a digital identity, plans to release a redesigned version of its controversial Orb iris scanning device in the first half of 2024. Co-founder Alex Blania revealed to TechCrunch that the next model will shift to a more subdued look and multiple colors to appear friendlier and......
Ethereum Developers Confirm Dencun Upgrade Testnet Trial Dates
Ethereum developers have announced the scheduling for the Dencun network upgrade's final test runs on the Sepolia and Goerli test blockchains ahead of implementation on the Ethereum mainnet itself. Dencun represents the most significant Ethereum code change in over a year. The upgrade will introduce key features to boost scalability and reduce transaction costs, paving......
BlackBerry Reveals Hacking Group Targeting Mexican Banks and Crypto Firms
A hacking group has been targeting major Mexican banks, cryptocurrency companies, and other large businesses with custom malware designed to steal banking credentials and personal authentication information. BlackBerry Research & Intelligence revealed this week that the multi-year campaign utilizes social engineering and legitimate documents to distribute remote access Trojan (RAT) tool installers, allowing the threat......
Trezor Warns of Unauthorized Phishing Email Impersonating the Firm
Cryptocurrency hardware wallet maker Trezor recently detected a phishing email illegally posing as the company and contacting newsletter subscribers. Trezor managed to swiftly deactivate the malicious link sent from "[email protected]". https://twitter.com/Trezor/status/1750223673506558146 However, the company still cautioned users not to enter their highly sensitive recovery seeds in any forms sent via email. The hardware wallet manufacturer......
Binance Founder CZ Denied Travel to UAE Despite $4.5B Equity as Security Offering
Changpeng Zhao, aka CZ, founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, was denied permission to travel to the United Arab Emirates last month. The judge denied the request despite offering to put up his roughly $4.5 billion stake in the company as security. The details were revealed in newly released court filings related to CZ's November guilty......
